Will football stadium reopen soon after goat prank?

Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 05:34 PM.

State health officials determined a petting zoo was the source of a Cleveland County Fair-linked E. coli outbreak that sickened more than 100 people and led to the death of a toddler.

After the state released its findings from a probe of the outbreak, health leaders aren't changing their recommendation that Burns High School's football stadium be closed for six months after someone released goats onto the field in October.

At the time, school officials said the goats were released onto the Ron Greene Stadium field as a prank. The school system has not released information about who released the goats or what their punishment will be.

Since the health department could not pinpoint all the spots where the goats were on the field and in the stadium, officials recommended the field be closed as a precaution, said Cleveland County Health Department Director Dorothea Wyant.

"Goats shed E. coli intermittently, so we can't be sure those goats on the field didn't shed E. coli," Wyant said. "Our recommendation stays the same."

However, Burns High School Principal Aaron Allen hopes the field can reopen before the currently scheduled April 19 date.

“The health department and the state have not changed their directive for our facility. However, there are officials in Raleigh who are discussing options so that we could open sooner,” Allen said. “Our situation is unique so there is no prior protocol for research.”

State health officials determined a petting zoo was the source of a Cleveland County Fair-linked E. coli outbreak that sickened more than 100 people and led to the death of a toddler.

After the state released its findings from a probe of the outbreak, health leaders aren't changing their recommendation that Burns High School's football stadium be closed for six months after someone released goats onto the field in October.

At the time, school officials said the goats were released onto the Ron Greene Stadium field as a prank. The school system has not released information about who released the goats or what their punishment will be.

Since the health department could not pinpoint all the spots where the goats were on the field and in the stadium, officials recommended the field be closed as a precaution, said Cleveland County Health Department Director Dorothea Wyant.

"Goats shed E. coli intermittently, so we can't be sure those goats on the field didn't shed E. coli," Wyant said. "Our recommendation stays the same."

However, Burns High School Principal Aaron Allen hopes the field can reopen before the currently scheduled April 19 date.

“The health department and the state have not changed their directive for our facility. However, there are officials in Raleigh who are discussing options so that we could open sooner,” Allen said. “Our situation is unique so there is no prior protocol for research.”

Though there is hope the field may be open sooner, the facility won't be ready by the time football season ends, Allen said.

“We are still planning on playing at Kings Mountain High School,” he said.

Burns plays Freedom on Friday night at John Gamble Stadium in the third round of the state playoffs.